tower



(No Model.) 3 Sheets- -Sheet 1.

C. A. TOWER.

GAR GOUIL'ING.

Patented June 18, 1895.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets--Sheet 2.

G. A. TOWER. GAR COUPLING.

No. 541,401. Patented June 18, 1895.

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K Modl. 31Sh'eets-Sheet 3.

' C. A. TOWER.

UAR COUPLING.

No. 541,401. Patented June 18, 1895.

WITNESSES IIVEITOR I Mhm. d i

UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

CLINTON A. TOWER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL MALLEABLE CASTINGS COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 541,401, dated June 18, 1 895.

Application filed December 28, 1894:- Serial No. 533,172. (No model.)

T0 (LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLINTON A. Towns, of Cleveland, in the county of Guyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Oar-Couplers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact de scription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figurel is a plan view showing two couplerheads A B constructed in accordance with myinvention, andhaving their parts in proper position to enable them to be coupled together. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the coupler B, shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line III III of Fig. 1, showing the knuckle when locked. Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the'lineIV IV of Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a cross-section on the line V V of Fig. 1.

Like symbols of reference indicate like parts in each view.

Myinvention relates to modifications in the construction of the car coupler shown and described in a prior patent, No. 507,511, granted to me on October 24, 1893, and is included within the broader or generic claims thereof.

My device belongs to that class of car couplers known as twin-jaw couplers, in which the coupling-head has a swinging knuckle adapted to engage a similar knuckle in the coupler of another car; and also has means by which the knuckles can be locked in engagement with each other, and by which they can be opened into position for recoupling without need for the brakeman to go between the ends of the cars.

In the patent above referred to I have described a twin-jaw coupler having a swinging knuckle combined with a locking and opening device consisting of an angled piece set in a recess in the coupler-head in which it is movable vertically and radially, (or, as shown in Fig. 7 of said patent, movable radially alone,) said locking and opening device having three members, viz., a head which engages the front of the knuckle-tail when the knuckle is locked, an arm extending over the tail, and a second arm extending vertically back of the tail and adapted to engage the same and to move the knuckle open when the angled piece is moved radially by the brakeman.

In the coupler shown and described in the present specification there is also a swinging knuckle and a radially movable angled piece having a head which looks the knuckle, and a rear arm by which the knuckle is swung open, but instead of extending over the tail of the knuckle, as shown in said patent, the horizontal member of the angled piece extends under the tail, and the head and rear arm project upwardly instead of downwardly.

In the drawings, Fig. LA and B are two coupler heads which in general may be of the usual type. Each coupler head has two jaws 3 and 4 and is provided with an internal cavity or recess which extends laterally into the jaw 4 and is adapted to permit the knuckle 5 to swing upon its pivot pin 6. The knuckle has an outer arm I) and an inner arm or tail 0. set at or nearly at right angles to each other. The angled locking and opening piece above mentioned has a'lower and transversely extending member or arm 6 which fits under the tail of the knuckle, an upwardly projecting head or block 7 adapted to fit against the front side of the knuckles tail and to lock the knuckle in a closed position, and an ar'mf which extends upwardly at the rear of the tail. There is a vertical cavity 8 in the floor of the coupler-head beneath the angled piece which is adapted to'permit radial motion of the latter,

and there is a cross pin or shoulder 9 in or at said recess on which a notch in the transverse member e fits, said pin or shoulder thus serving as the fulcrum or pivot on which the angled piece may tip. In order to move it radially, I provide the angled piece with an arm 0 which projects downwardly through the floor of the coupler, the angled piece and said arm beingso related that the center of gravity of these parts conjoined shall be in proper position to hold the angled piece normally with its head 7 in elevated position and its ,armf retracted, as shown in Fig. 4.

When the knuckle is looked, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, and at B in Fig. 1, the tail. of the knuckle is back of the head 7 and the forwardend of said head bearsagainst and is braced by shoulder g on the coupler,- thus locking the knuckle in closed position.

If it be desired'to unlock and open the coupler knuckle, the brakeman raises the arm 10'by a suitable lifting chain or otherdevice provided for'th'at purpose, and thereby tips the angled piece,withdrawing its-head 7 down outof the path of the knuckle and moving its rear armflaterally, so as to bear against the knuckles tail and to swing the knuckle open, as shown in Fig. 5, and at A When the knuckle is again swung in Fig. l. back into its closed position, the engagement of its tail with the arm fwill move the-angled piece in the opposite direction, and when t-he' knuckle has reachedits closedposition the head of the angled piece will have been brought in front of the-tailso as to lock -it as above described. knuckle against longitudinal strain theend of its tail-may be formed with=a hooked;por-; tion d which,when the knuckle isclosed, fi ts around thearm fandbearsagainst the same, and the interior of the coupler-head may-be formed with a shouldered recess-i against: which the armfhas a bearing and bywhich; The end 'portionot' the tail, formingthe'rearside ot' the hook,-may be made sufficiently long so that when the knuckle is swung open to its fulle'xtent the; tail shall not passentirelybeyondtheheadfl it is'braced.

In-order to brace the -under-the:knuckles tail, a second member 'whi'ch fits in front of {the same/and a third member which fits back of the tail and serves to open the knuckle when the angled piece is moved radially.

2. A coupler having a swinging knuckle and a radially movable angled locking and opening device having amember which fits under the k'nuckles tail, a second member 'whichfits in front of the same, and a third member'which fits back of the tail and serves to open the knuckle when the angled piece is moved radially, said angled piece being pivoted loosely on a support at the base of the coupler-head.

A coupler having a swinging knuckle and a radially movableangled locking and opening devi'ce havi'ngia member which-fits un-der-t'he knuckle s t-ail, a-secon'd member which fitsin frontiof the same, and-a third member which fits back of the tail and serves to open the-knuckle when the angled piece is moved radially, said'an'g-led piece having fian'opening arm which extends downwardly through the floor of the coupler.

4:. A=.coupler having -a-swingi"ng knuckle and a :radially movable angled lockingand opening device having a member which fits under the :knuckles tail,a second member whichfits in front of the-same,and-a third member which fits back of the tail andserves to open the knuckle whenihe angled piece -is-'-moved radially, said third member fitting within and bei'ngbraced byashouldercd recess in the coupler head, and being adapted to be engaged by a hooked portion of the tail "of the knuckle; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

CLINTON LA. TOWER.

\Vitnesses:

O. K. BROOKS, D. W. CALL. 

